The Fort Morgan Mustangs have been no strangers to facing some of the best teams in their schedule during the baseball season. From 4A schools like Longmont, Mead and Erie to a number of top-10 teams from class 3A added to the schedule last year, the Mustangs have not shied away from facing the best of the best.

This year, the schedule remains tough. And no favors were given to the team, either.

Fort Morgan began the season last Thursday at home versus the Erie Tigers and got the comeback 11-10 win at Legion Field. Following that was a road game with the Frederick Warriors to start a stretch where they will play at home one time in a span of three weeks.

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Add in a number of teams improving in the Colorado 7 League, and the Mustangs are sure to face one of their better schedules in recent years.

It's a challenge that Fort Morgan baseball coach Josh Langford is excited to take head on with his team.

"Ever since we get done with Christmas and New Year's, my mind definitely shifts to baseball," Langford said. "I'm very excited about the kids we have in this program."

The Mustangs are coming off a 16-5 record in 2017, which included winning the Colorado 7 League tournament and earning a regional win over the Pueblo East Eagles. Their season came to an end in the regional final to the Evergreen Cougars after Fort Morgan allowed 10 runs in the final two innings of the game.

Langford hopes the team has learned from how they were unable to finish the game with Evergreen and what they will have to do to get two wins in the regional tournament to advance to state.

"Hopefully they understand what it takes there, and that we are not quite where we want to be once we get there," Langford said. "Pitching is always a factor and the difference maker. We just haven't bust through at regionals yet, and I think that comes down to pitching."

In order to get back to regionals, the team must fill in a couple key areas on their roster.

On the mound, the Mustangs welcome a returning ace in Bobby Tolson this year. Now a senior, he finished second on the team in ERA, wins and innings pitched. Behind him will be a question mark with a young, developing pitching staff expected to fill in this season.

Langford listed a number of guys that got the chance to pitch in the Legion season for who he will look to use for the second starting spot in the rotation and to use in relief.

"It's a little unknown, but I think a number of guys had a good summer," Langford said. "Trevor Forbes had a fantastic summer on the mound. We hope he can be our number two guy. We also want to find consistency with a reliever or two. Trey McBride, Jacob Ortega, and Devin Mussman are kind of our candidates there."

The other question mark for the team is in their offensive lineup. For the second straight year, the Mustangs lose their leadoff hitter that hit .350 or better and applied the pressure with their base-stealing. Ortega will get the shot, according to Langford.

"(Ortega) hit leadoff for us all summer and did a great job there," Langford said. "He's very aggressive for a leadoff hitter, but I don't mind."

But while pitching and offense see some spots to fill, Langford says the defense has to get better and more consistent heading into the season.

"Defense seemed to be our downfall this summer," Langford said. "That's something we've worked hard since we have gotten together in January. It's been a point of emphasis in the preseason and in our offseason work."

Fort Morgan had a .920 fielding percentage and committed 47 errors in the 2017 spring season. The error numbers were high in the summer with many new players seeing more playing time against a higher level of competition. An early schedule that is heavy on the road will challenge the new players right away.

When Fort Morgan returns home, they will welcome a much-improved Colorado 7 League schedule. The Mustangs lost to Conifer in the regular season and have seen teams like the Weld Central Rebels, the Fort Lupton Blue Devils, and the Skyview Wolverines emerge to challenge them as well.

"Weld Central and Conifer are well improved compared to where they were in the past," Langford said about the league. "Things have been improving in terms of the conference, and those two teams are definitely going to challenge us."

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